A Witches perspective on Gender, Biological Sex and Sexual Orientation

A Witches perspective on Gender, Biological Sex and Sexual Orientation

This blog provides a simplistic breakdown of these terms, based on facts and not assumptions, included will be examples and a spiritual look at the energies of a person that birth these characteristics.

Biological Sex

I will first begin with the easiest one - Biological Sex. What is Sex? In a nutshell, it is the biological manifestation of a sequence of proteins found within chromosomes, that depending on when they are expressed during fetal development and hormonal influence, determine if a person becomes a biological female, male, or in very rare cases - Androgynous / Intersex (Born with both sets, or varying degrees of the genitalia of both male and female). The term sex is often used interchangeably, but incorrectly with gender.

Sexual Orientation

Sexual orientation comes next, as orientation pertains to a placement or direction, and sexual refers to biological traits, it can be thought of as across a spectrum, there are 4 distinct orientations - Heterosexual (Straight), Bisexual (Bi), Homosexual (Gay) and Asexual (No attraction based on sex). If we consider a compass and cardinal points, we can say Gay (Same) and Straight (Opposite) are opposite sides, just as Bisexual (Both) and Asexual (Neither) are. The cause of sexuality remains unknown but the following myths I am debunking:

"Homosexuality is unnatural" - There are over 1,500 animal species that demonstrate same-sex courting and parenting, considering it is prevalent throughout nature, homosexuality is not unnatural.

"Sexuality is chosen, people chose to be gay/bi" - Considering that in some countries, these sexual expressions are punishable by death, nobody in their right mind would choose their sexuality if it was a choice and could lead to death. Also, when the question is returned to the person assuming "Could you wake up tomorrow and decide to be gay?", You can expect to be met with responses ranging from "That's disgusting", "I like woman too much", and "I just couldn't be with a man", there is the answer then. It is not as choice.

"Bisexuals are just greedy" - While this is often meant as a joke, it does not make it right, human emotions and expressions are all valid if they do not cause harm, so if a person loves a man or woman, it is simply part of who they are.

"There is a gay gene, I was born this way" - This is still a contested topic as there is no single gene discovered to be responsible for any of the sexualities, sexuality is likely the result of many combining and varying factors such as DNA, environment, many siblings - Estrogen exposure increases with each pregnancy thus affecting the fetus, and to me as a Witch, spiritual contributions also play a part.

Gender

Gender is more of a complicated subject for many people, in a nutshell it is the sex you think you are, so this element of being human is psychological. The idea that a man feels like they were born in the wrong body and should have been born to be a woman, one of the girls. Gender is tied heavily to gender roles and expectations from "Men and Women" in a binary context, a notion that has been enforced by religion for several thousand years, the women at home and the men in the world. A very outdated notion, that feminism has began to erode, and rightfully so as people should play to their strengths and be their authenticate self. We now see stay at home Dads and powerful public women.

Here are some terms for ease of thinking:

• Trans woman - Is a person who was born and identified as a male at birth, but they themselves identify as being female, often leading to sex reassignment surgery.

• Trans man - Is the opposite of above, a biological female who identifies and also has the choice to transition to become a man to suit their feeling within.

• Gender fluid - A person who, regardless of their biological sex, can shift between either gender and expectation, or occupies and expresses both as androgynous.

• Non-binary - A person that identifies as being neither male nor female.

• Transvestite - An old term that is not used much anymore to denote a man who dresses as a woman.

• Cis male and cis female - Terms used for those who identify as the same sex they are born as. So a biological male identifies as a male. And a biological female identifies as a female.

Gender differences outside of Western contexts

Each distinct culture will have their own interpretation of gender, what is "normal" to themselves and what is not. We have the lady boys of Thailand, the spiritual Hijra of the subcontinent - men who dress as women and bless newborns and their families, the twin spirited of some native American tribes. The LBGT+ is a political movement of Western origin that describes a particular categorisation of sex, sexuality and gender to promote understanding and equality. Other cultures, especially natives, may not completely resonate with the LGBT+ in a Western context, but they acknowledge the concept that sex, sexuality and gender is an innate part of people and not black and white, nor chosen and changeable.

My own views on these characteristics

My own views on what leads to this beautiful human diversity is that since my view of nature is that all of creation is composed of two complementary and distinct energies, as God and Goddess, or male and female, yin and yang, we all have varying degrees within our being, and they manifest differently, here is my very spiritual and yet simple break down:

Biological Sex - More God / Masculine energy in genetics leads to a male, as is the opposite that births females, a balance leads to androgyny.

Sexual Orientation - More Goddess energy in a man's heart, leads him to naturally be attracted to males, more God energy in a ladies heart leads her to feel affection and love towards other women, Bisexuals would have quite a balance of both, for asexual people, the energy just manifests elsewhere. And straight people have a higher level of their sexes distinct energy so a man has more God/Yang in their heart which attracts them to women.

Gender and Gender expression - As above, but the placement is in the mind or psyche, a trans woman is a born biological man with more Goddess energy in their mind leading them to identify and feel female, this would be prior to transition into a female post surgery if chosen. I have fallen short of acknowledging this myself in the past, by accidentally misgendering a person, but they always accept my apology as they are aware that it takes loved ones, friends and colleagues time to adapt to these profound differences, too.

In conclusion, it is a part of nature to be diverse, and those who live there authentic selves and no longer need to hide in the closet, are blessed indeed.

By the Light and Dark Gods,

Blessed Be, Mat XxX